U.S. patent number 3,967,748 [Application Number 05/595,110] was granted by the patent office on 1976-07-06 for drinking receptacle valve means.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Thermo Seal. Invention is credited to Kenneth J. Albert.
United States Patent |
3,967,748 |
Albert |
July 6, 1976 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Drinking receptacle valve means
Abstract
The disclosure relates to a drinking receptacle and valve means
wherein: hot or cold liquids may be safely contained and carried
during intermittent drinking such that the liquids cannot be
spilled and in the case of hot liquids the valve means is manually
operable to open the drinking valve to allow drinking of liquid
from the receptacle or container. The valve means comprising a lost
motion mechanism coupled with a manually operable plunger such that
the manually operable plunger first opens a relief valve to relieve
steam and pressure from the interior of the container whereupon the
plunger continues its motion to open the drinking valve so as to
allow drinking of contents from the receptacle after steam and
pressure has been relieved therefrom and to thereby avoid the
danger of causing hot coffee or other beverages to gush from the
drinking valve when opened. The relief valve being disposed on the
opposite side of the cover of the receptacle from the drinking
valve so that when the receptacle is tilted for drinking the relief
valve is above the normal liquid level so that steam and pressure
is relieved before the drinking valve is opened. The disclosure
also relates to a novel poppet valve means and seat structure
having a resilient ring shaped valve member disposed on a
frusto-conical support and resiliently deflectable into conformity
with valve seat means in the cover of the drinking receptacle. The
disclosure also relates to novel plunger guide and cam means for
opening the drinking valve and further to resilient means for
closing the valve in cooperation with the cam means. Additionally,
the disclosure relates further to resilient means in connection
with the plunger for closing the relief valve after the drinking
valve has been closed during releasing motion of the plunger by the
operator or the person drinking from the aforementioned drinking
valve.
Inventors: |
Albert; Kenneth J. (Hollywood,
CA) |
Assignee: |
Thermo Seal (Los Angeles,
CA)
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Family
ID: |
27078775 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/595,110 |
Filed: |
July 11, 1975 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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583284 |
Jun 3, 1975 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
220/715; 215/307;
220/264; 222/508; 220/254.5; 220/254.9; 220/348; 222/515 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G
19/2272 (20130101); B65D 47/249 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47G
19/22 (20060101); B65D 47/04 (20060101); B65D
47/24 (20060101); A47G 019/22 () |
Field of
Search: |
;220/90.4,87,329,348
;222/511,515,544,563,508,509,542,487,481.5 ;277/30,83,DIG.4
;251/83,82,77,251 ;215/307 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Lowrance; George E.
Assistant Examiner: Shoap; Allan N.
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation in part of my co-pending
application for Drinking Receptacle Valve Means, Ser. No. 583,284,
filed June 3, 1975, now abandoned.
Claims
I claim:
1. In a drinking receptacle valve means; a receptacle cover; said
cover having a lip engaging edge; said cup having a drinking
opening therein adjacent said edge; a drinking valve member adapted
to close said opening; a movable member carrying said valve means;
first means cooperable with said movable member and said cover for
opening said valve member relative to said drinking opening; a
manually operable and reciprocable plunger extending from the
exterior to the interior of said cover; said plunger adapted to
engage said movable member to force it and said first means to open
said valve member relative to said drinking opening; a relief valve
operable by said manually operable plunger; said relief valve
adapted to relieve steam and fluid pressure from the interior of
said cover to atmosphere; and lost motion engaging means disposed
between said plunger and said movable means whereby manual movement
of said plunger initially operates said relief valve and upon
further movement of said plunger said lost motion engaging means
opens said drinking valve member after said relief valve has
relieved fluid pressure from inside said cover.
2. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said lost motion
engaging means comprises a telescopic means coupling said plunger
and said movable member; and stop means disposed to positively
limit telescopic movement of said plunger relative to said movable
member after said relief valve has been opened by the initial
movement of said plunger and during relative telescopic movement
between said plunger and said movable member.
3. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said first means
comprises cam means cooperable with said movable member and said
cover for opening said valve member relative to said drinking
opening; resilient means tending to hold said drinking valve
closed; said resilient means thereby forcing cooperable action of
said cam means to move said drinking valve to closed position
relative to said drinking opening.
4. The invention as defined in claim 3, wherein: said cover is
provided with a lower inner portion; said cam means comprising a
downwardly declining portion at said lower inner portion of said
cover; said movable member having a follower engaging said
declining portion for moving said drinking valve downwardly away
from said drinking opening in response to manual force on said
plunger.
5. The invention as defined in claim 4, wherein: guide means is
provided for said movable member; said guide means being carried by
said cover and disposed between said drinking valve and said
plunger; said guide means straddling said movable member and having
a normally vertically disposed slot in which said movable member is
movable operable horizontally and also movably vertically in said
guide means in accordance with said declining portion of said
cam.
6. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: a spring is
disposed to close said relief valve.
7. The invention as defined in claim 6, wherein: said lost motion
engaging means comprises telescopic means coupling said plunger and
said movable member; and stop means disposed to positively limit
telescopic movement of said plunger relative to said movable member
after said relief valve has been opened by initial movement of said
plunger and during relative telescopic movement between said
plunger and said movable member; and a spring disposed and tending
to force said telescopic means apart and to close said relief
valve; said relief valve being an annular valve member adapted to
engage an inner side of said cover; said plunger extending through
an opening in said cover and being slightly larger than said
plunger whereby said relief valve closes the space in the side of
said cover around said plunger.
8. The invention as defined in claim 7, wherein: said cover is
provided with a lower inner portion; said cam means comprising a
downwardly declining portion at said lower inner portion of said
cover; said movable member having a follower engaging said
declining portion for moving said drinking valve downwardly away
from said drinking opening in response to manual force on said
plunger; a second spring disposed to force said drinking valve into
closed position relative to said drinking opening; said second
spring supported in connection with said cover.
9. The invention as defined in claim 6, wherein: a second spring is
disposed and tending to hold said drinking valve closed; said
second spring disposed to force cooperable action of said cam means
to move said drinking valve to closed position relative to said
drinking opening.
10. The invention as defined in claim 8, wherein: said cover is
provided with guide means for said movable member; said guide means
being carried by said cover and disposed between said drinking
valve and said plunger; said guide means straddling said movable
member and having a normally vertically disposed slot in which said
movable member is movable horizontally and also normally vertically
in said guide means in accordance with said declining portion of
said cam.
11. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said cover is
provided with cup engaging and holding means; and a drinking
receptacle having an upper portion secured to said cup engaging and
holding means.
12. The invention as defined in claim 9, wherein: said cover is
provided with a receptacle engaging and holding means; and a
receptacle having an upper open end secured to said engaging and
holding means.
13. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: a thermally
insulated cup is sealably connected to said cover.
14. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said first means
comprises cam means.
15. The invention as defined in claim 14, wherein: said cam means
is integral with said cover and comprises a downwardly declining
portion and follower means on said movable member disposed and
adapted to slide downwardly on said downwardly declining
portion.
16. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said plunger and
said relief valve are disposed at an opposite side of said cover
from said drinking opening whereby, when said cover is in tilted
drinking position, liquid gravitates below said relief valve and
allows steam to escape therethrough above the liquid level.
17. A drinking receptacle provided with a generally cup like body
having a normally upper open end; a cover for said body removably
and sealingly secured to said upper open end of said cup like body;
said cover having a peripheral rim and a top plate portion
surrounded by said rim; said top plate portion having upper and
lower sides; said top plate portion having a drinking opening
extending therethrough; said drinking opening being at a first
location near the proximity of said rim; an openable valve disposed
and adapted to close and open said drinking opening; said top plate
portion having upper and lower sides; said valve disposed adjacent
said lower side and disposed to close said drinking opening whereby
pressure in said cup like body tends to hold said valve closed; a
finger engageable valve actuator movably mounted on said cover and
being disposed at a second location near the proximity of said rim;
said valve actuator operably disposed relative to said valve for
opening and closing the same; said second location being
substantially diametrically opposed to said first location whereby
said receptacle may be tilted to a disposition wherein said
drinking opening is in a downward position and said valve actuator
is in a relatively upward position; said valve being a poppet valve
having a generally circular shape; said drinking opening in said
top plate portion being generally circular; said top plate portion
having an annular valve seat surrounding said opening; said poppet
valve having a frusto-conical convergingly tapered in a direction
toward said upper side of said top plate portion; a resilient ring
shaped gasket which is normally flat; said gasket provided with a
sharp peripheral corner portion; said ring shaped gasket having a
bore portion normally smaller than the diameter of said
frusto-conical portion; said bore portion disposed on and
resiliently surrounding and gripping said frusto-conical portion so
as to deflect and hold said normally flat ring shaped gasket in a
generally disc shaped configuration which is generally
frusto-conical and downwardly converging with one of said sharp
peripheral corners disposed to resiliently engage said annular
valve seat.
18. The invention as defined in claim 17, wherein: said annular
valve seat comprises a downwardly converging in cross section
annular portion having a sharp annular edge directed towards a
gasket.
19. The invention as defined in claim 17, wherein: said sharp
peripheral corner is provided with a resilient lip extending
slightly beyond said flat ring shaped configuration.
20. The invention as defined in claim 4, wherein: said cover is
provided with support means holding said spring to act on said
plunger in a direction towards said cover; and bearing means
movably supporting said plunger and disposed to resist lateral
deflection of said plunger to maintain arcuate alignment of said
valve member with said drinking opening.
21. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said relief valve
comprises a gasket means disposed at an inner side of said cover;
said gasket means carried by said plunger; said cover having a
relief opening through which said plunger extends; the cross
sectional shape of said opening and said plunger being different
and bearing concentrically only at a plurality of locations and
having spaces between said locations whereby venting through said
relief opening around said plunger may occur while reciprocal
alignment of said plunger and said movable member remains
substantially consistent.
22. The invention as defined in claim 2, wherein: said telescopic
means comprises a hollow tubular portion integral with said
plunger; a shank portion of said movable member in said hollow
tubular portion; said hollow tubular portion having a slot in the
side wall thereof for access of cleaning water; and a guide carried
by said movable member; said guide portion movable in said top
portion; said movable member restrained against rotation relative
to said cover whereby said slot is held in a position facing away
from said cover and thereby opened to water which may be thrown in
a dishwasher or the like.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various enclosures have been provided for drinking receptacles,
particularly hot coffee or the like and such enclosures have
included various valves for allowing a person to drink from such
receptacles.
Prior art U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,578,201 and 3,739,938 are exemplary of
the prior art. These patents both disclose manually operable valves
in drinking receptacle covers but do not provide any means by which
steam and pressure may be relieved from the interior of the
container before the drinking valve is opened. Consequently, both
prior art devices, as disclosed in these patents, concurrently
provide for the relief of drinking liquid and steam or pressure so
that the operation of these valves is dangerous, especially when
hot coffee is contained in the container and the valve is opened
such as to cause the hot liquid to gush out and burn the person
attempting to drink therefrom.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides means by which a drinking receptacle
cover encloses a receptacle or container such as a beverage
container which may be used for holding hot coffee or other
beverages during intermittent drinking thereof so as to prevent
spillage from the container or loss of heat or, in the case of cold
beverages, to maintain them cool. In the cover of the invention is
provided a manually operable valve so as to permit drinking of the
contents from the container and associated with the manually
operable drinking valve is a pressure relief valve actuated by a
manually operable plunger such that the pressure relief valve is
operated directly by an initial movement of the plunger and
whereupon lost motion engaging means provides for initial movement
of the relief valve without opening the drinking valve and
whereupon continued movement of the plunger after the pressure
relief valve is opened causes opening of the drinking valve thereby
only permitting the drinking of liquid from the valve after
pressure has been relieved from the interior of the container.
Accordingly, the valve means of the invention provides for complete
enclosure of liquids in a thermally insulated cup and provides for
safe drinking of the contents of the receptacle such as hot coffee
or the like. The invention comprises novel telescopic lost motion
means interconnecting the pressure relief valve of the invention
and the drinking valve so that when the manually operable plunger
is actuated the pressure relief valve is first operated then the
lost motion means causes actuation of the drinking valve to permit
a person to drink from the drinking opening in the cover of the
receptacle of the invention.
The invention comprises a very novel valve and seat means wherein a
normally flat resilient ring shaped gasket is mounted on a
frusto-conical support member and is engageable with an annular
sharp edge seat structure so as to provide for accuracy in seating
of the valve and sealing thereof relative to an opening in a
drinking receptacle cover and also to provide for the positive
sealing of the valve with nominal spring closing pressure whereby
ease of operation of the valve may be readily attained and whereby
pressure internally of the receptacle readily causes the valve
efficiently to seal and to compensate for any inaccuracies in the
valve seat structure such as may be encountered in the injection
moulding of the parts.
The invention also comprises specific mechanism for actuating the
relief valve as well as the drinking valve. The manually operable
plunger of the invention extends through the cover from the outside
to the inside thereof and telescopic means connects the plunger
with a movable member which is cam operated by means of a cam on
the lower inner side of the cover so as to open the drinking valve
which is generally a poppet shaped valve seating in a drinking
opening in the lower side of the cover and a spring is carried by a
yoke connected to the cover and tends to close the drinking valve
as well as to operate the movable member carrying the valve on the
cam means at the lower side of the cover. A second spring in
connection with the telescopic mechanism holds the aforementioned
relief valve closed around an opening in the side of the cover, the
opening being the one which the plunger extends through but said
opening being larger than the diameter of the plunger so as to
permit the relief of pressure from the inside of the container
around the plunger. The relief valve being in the form of an O-ring
carried by a shoulder on the plunger and adapted to overlap the
relatively enlarged opening around the plunger in the side of the
receptacle cover.
The relief valve is disposed at an opposite side of the cover from
the drinking valve so that when the cover is disposed in drinking
position the relief valve is above the normal liquid level allowing
it to relieve steam from the container so that the hot liquid is
not under pressure when the drinking valve is subsequently
opened.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
novel drinking receptacle valve means which is operable initially
to relieve pressure in the drinking receptacle and subsequently to
open the drinking receptacle valve after the pressure has been
relieved so as to provide for safety of persons drinking hot coffee
from such receptacles.
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel manually
operable plunger mechanism with a lost motion actuating means
disposed between the pressure relief valve and the drinking valve
so that they are operated in sequence.
Another object of the invention is to provide a pressure relief
valve disposed on the opposite side of the drinking cover from the
drinking valve so that in normal drinking position the relief valve
is above the liquid level in the drinking container and to thereby
operate for the relief of steam without allowing liquid to be
dispensed from the relief valve when it is opened preliminary to
the opening of the drinking valve.
Another object of the invention is to provide a very novel valve
and seat means for use in connection with covers of drinking
receptacles wherein a resilient readily deflectable ring shaped
gasket member is mounted on a frusto-conical support means so that
the periphery of the ring shaped resilient member may efficiently
seal around a drinking opening and readily compensate for
inaccuracies of parts such as may be encountered in injection
moulding and also to provide for the use of a nominal spring
pressure so that actuating forces attendant to the opening of the
valve may be reasonably nominal.
Further objects and advantages of the invention may be apparent
from the following specification, appended claims and accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the drinking receptacle valve
means of the invention in a container or receptacle cover and
showing a thermally insulated receptacle in section and coupled to
the receptacle cover;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the receptacle
cover of the invention showing the drinking receptacle valve means
therein and illustrating parts and portions broken away and in
section in varying positions of the mechanism being illustrated by
broken lines;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 3--3 of
FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 4--4 of
FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing modifications of the
invention and illustrating preferred embodiments thereof;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from the
line 6--6 of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from the
line 7--7 of FIG. 5;
FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from the
line 8--8 of FIG. 5; and
FIG. 9 is a reduced sectional view taken from the line 9--9 of FIG.
5.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As shown in FIG. 1, a thermally insulated receptacle or container
is designated 10. This container is provided with inner and outer
walls 12 and 14 which are spaced apart to provide for thermal
insulation either for holding the heat in hot coffee or the like or
for maintaining cold beverages as desired.
The container 10 is provided with an annular internal bore portion
16 in which a skirt portion 18 of a cap or cover 20 is sealingly
engaged. The cover 20 is a generally hollow cylindrical member
having an enclosing top portion 22 provided with a drinking opening
24 therein. This drinking opening is adjacent to an upwardly
extending drinking lip 26 and the top portion 22 is generally
declined downwardly toward the drinking opening and toward the lip
26 providing a flow recess 28 adjacent to the drinking edge or lip
26 of the cover 20.
The opening 24 is preferably a circular opening and is enclosed by
a valve member 30 which is provided with a peripherally connected
O-ring 32. This O-ring being resiliently retained in a groove 34 in
the generally circular valve member 30. Thus the O-ring 32 seats
around the periphery of the opening 24 in a generally chamfered
valve seat 36, all as shown best in FIG. 2 of the drawings.
The valve member 30 is carried by a movable member 38 which is
reciprocally and slideably mounted between spaced apart downwardly
extending portions 40 and 42 of the cover portion 22. The spaced
relationship of the portions 40 and 42 provides a generally slot
shaped structure between which the movable member 38 is
reciprocally mounted as well as vertically movably mounted. Thus
the movable member 38 is capable of moving longitudinally and
upwardly and downwardly in accordance with the broken line
disclosure of FIG. 2 of the drawings.
The downwardly extending portions 40 and 42 are provided with
socket portions 44 and 46 respectively. These socket portions 44
and 46 receive normally upper ends 48 and 50 of a yoke member 52
which supports a coil spring 54. The coil spring 54 at its lower
end 56 surrounding an upwardly extending coil holding boss 58 which
is integral with the yoke 52.
The upper end of the spring 54 is designated 60 and it surrounds a
downwardly extending boss 62 which is integral with the movable
member 38, all as shown best in FIG. 3 of the drawings.
The portions 48 and 50 of the yoke 52 are tapered and fitted in the
sockets 44 and 46 and may be bonded thereinto by various
cementitious materials or solvent materials for plastics if
compatible with the cover 22 and the yoke 52.
Integral with the socket portions 44 and 46 are cam portions 64 and
66. These cam portions 64 and 66 are adjacent the respective guide
portions 40 and 42 shown in FIG. 3. These cam portions 64 and 66
are also integral with the top portion 22 of the cover 20 and, as
shown in FIG. 2, are downwardly declining from the top portion 22
to the lower portions of the sockets 44 and 46, all as shown best
in FIG. 2 of the drawings.
The movable member 38 is provided with a pair of trunions 68 and 70
which engage the respective cam portions 64 and 66, all as shown
best in FIGS. 2 and 4 of the drawings.
Integral with the movable member 38 is a reduced diameter shank
portion 72 which is telescopically mounted in a bore 74 of a
plunger 76. This plunger 76 being provided with an O-ring pressure
relief valve 78 which is carried on an arcuate or annular shoulder
80 of the plunger 76.
Disposed in the bore 74 is a spring 82 acting on an end 84 of the
reduced diameter portion 72 and tending to hold the valve O-ring 78
against an inner side wall 86 of the cover 20. The side wall 86 is
provided with an opening 88 through which a manually engageable
portion 90 of the plunger 76 is mounted. The opening 88 being
larger than the diameter of the shank 90 so as misalignment provide
a valve opening which is sealed by the O-ring valve 78 in
accordance with pressure of the spring 82.
The plunger 76 at its outboard end is provided with a reduced
diameter portion 92 over which a hollow shank 94 of the manually
operable knob 96 is fitted and secured. This structure is provided
for assembly purposes so as to permit the enlarged manually
operable knob 96 to be installed on the outer side of the annular
wall of the cover 20 and in this manner some solvent or cement may
be placed in the hollow shank 94 of the member 96 as it is inserted
over the reduced diameter portion 92 of the plunger 76 and this
being done after the reduced diameter portion 92 is projected
through the opening 88. Thus the final assembly of the structure is
made.
The hollow portion 94 of the manually engageable knob 96 may be
pressed on the reduced diameter portion 92 of the plunger 76, if
desired.
The plunger 76 is provided with an abutment end 98 normally spaced
from an abutment shoulder 100 which forms a transition between the
main body of the shank 38 and the reduced diameter portion 72.
The spacing between the abutment portions 98 and 100 provides for a
lost motion relationship between the plunger 76 and the movable
member 38 so as to permit initial movement of the relief valve 78
from its position around the enlarged opening 88 so that steam may
be relieved before the abutment portion 98 touches the abutment
portion 100 and starts to open the valve member 30 relative to the
drinking opening 36. In this manner, the relief of steam and
pressure from the receptacle is accomplished when the receptacle is
tilted so that the relief valve 78 is above the level of the liquid
and the liquid is in the area of the valve member 30 and the
drinking opening 24 adjacent the drinking lip 26.
As the lost motion mechanism comprising the two abutment portions
98 and 100 permits opening of the valve 78 initially, the pressure
is released and then when the abutment portions 98 and 100 engage
further inward pressure on the manually operable portion 96 of the
plunger 76 causes the movable member 38 to actuate the cam
followers 68 and 70 in a downwardly declining direction on the
respective cam surfaces 64 and 66 so as to move the valve member
and its associated O-ring 32 downwardly into the broken line
position shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings allowing liquid to be
released gravitationally through the opening 24 and to be drunk by
the person whose lips are at the lip engaging edge 26, as shown in
FIG. 2 of the drawings. When pressure is released manually from the
actuating portion 96 of the plunger 76, the spring 54 forces the
movable member 38 upwardly and the cam followers 68 and 70 follow
the respective cam surfaces 64 and 66 so as to reposition the
O-ring 32 and valve member 30 in the solid line position, as shown
in FIG. 2 of the drawings, whereupon further release of the
manually operable portion 96 of the plunger 76 allows the spring 82
to extend the plunger 76 in telescopic relation to the reduced
diameter portion 72 in a direction to cause the O-ring 78 to seat
tightly around the enlarged opening 88 through which the shank 90
of the plunger extends thus causing final sealing of the container
cover after a drinking operation has been performed through the
drinking opening 24.
In the modified structure, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a preferred
valve and valve seat structure is disclosed. This structure
comprises a receptacle cover 110 similar to the cover 20
hereinbefore described. This cover 110 is provided with a generally
circular drinking opening 112 which is quite close to the annular
peripheral portion 114 of the cover at which a lip engaging edge
116 is disposed.
The opening 112, as shown on enlarged scale in FIG. 6 of the
drawings, is provided with a sharp generally V shaped in cross
section annular seat portion 118 which is directed downwardly
toward an inner or lower side 120 of the top portion 122 of the
cover 110.
The annular structure 118 is primarily a valve seat structure and
is disposed internally of an annular recess 122 in the lower side
120 of the cover 110.
A poppet valve 124 is carried by a movable member 126 similar to
the member 38 hereinbefore described. This poppet valve 124 is
generally circular in cross section and is provided with a
frusto-conical portion 128 which converges toward an upper side 130
of the cover portion 122. An annular flange 132 is disposed in
overlying relation with the uppermost portion of the frusto-conical
portion 128 while an underlying annular flange 134 is extended
radially beyond the lowermost portion of the frusto-conical portion
128, all as shown best in FIG. 6 of the drawings.
An annular ring shaped gasket 136 is provided with a bore portion
138, normally smaller in diameter than the frusto-conical portion
128, and this bore portion is resiliently and firmly engaged on the
frusto-conical portion 128 so as to deflect the ring shaped gasket
136 into a generally disc shaped structure whereas this gasket 136
is normally flat.
The disposition of the gasket, as shown in FIG. 6, is such that the
ring shaped structure of this gasket is generally in a downwardly
converging frusto-conical shape and a peripheral edge 140 of the
gasket is provided with an annular corner 142 which is resilient
and readily deflectable and engageable with the recess portion 122
at 144 so as to provide a double sealing seat which is very
flexible and capable of compensating for irregularities in the cast
structure of the opening 112 and seat structure 118 as well as the
recess 122.
Due to the resilient character of the ring shaped gasket 136 and
its mounting on a frusto-conical portion 128, it may be deflectable
into close conformity with the ring shaped seat 118 even though
this seat may be slightly warped due to injection molding processes
and, therefore, the gasket 136 on the poppet valve member 124
provides the solution to the production of an efficient sealing
valve by injection molding of plastic parts such as the parts
including the cover 110 and the poppet valve 124 together with its
integral movable member 126 which carries cam following pins 146
similar to the respective cam follower structure 68, shown in FIG.
2 of the drawings.
These cam follower structures 146 operate on inclined cams 148
similar to the cams 64 hereinbefore described. A return spring 150
is similar to the hereinbefore described spring 54 except that this
spring 150 may be of lighter loading such as will be hereinafter
described in detail.
As shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, the movable member is provided
with a circular in cross section shank 152 which is also shown in
FIG. 7 of the drawings. This shank 152 is provided with an integral
fin 154 which projects through an open slot 156 in a plunger member
158. This plunger member 158 is similar to the plunger 76
hereinbefore described, however, the slot 156 provides an opening
for cleaning and washing such as may be encountered when the device
is put in a diswasher and the cleaning water thus has access
through the slot 156 to areas around the relief valve return spring
160 which is similar to the spring 82 hereinbefore described. The
fin 154 holds the slot 156 oriented in a direction away from the
lower surface 120 of the top 122 so that water projected in a
dishwasher will readily enter around the spring 160 and clean the
structure. The fin 154 being integral with the shank 152 and the
movable member 126 is prevented from rotating and the plunger
member 158 is provided with a bore 162 in which the shank 152 is
reciprocally mounted and an end 164 of the plunger 158 is spaced
from a shoulder 166 of the movable member 126 to provide for lost
motion operation of the device as hereinbefore described relative
to the opening of a relief valve gasket 168 relative to a relief
opening 170 which is similar to the structure hereinbefore
described, the gasket 168 being similar to the gasket 78
hereinbefore described in connection with FIG. 2 of the
drawing.
The cover top portion 122 is provided with a downwardly projecting
support bearing 172 which is shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings. This
bearing 172 supports the upper portion of the plunger 158 and
resists forces of the spring 150 tending to deflect the movable
member 126 and the plunger 158 and to thereby avoid the possibility
of misalignement of the valve poppet 124 relative to the seat
118.
A manually engageable knob 174 projects through the opening 170 and
is frictionally engaged on a stub 176 of the plunger 158. The stub
176 being shown in FIG. 8 together with a generally rectangular in
cross section exterior of the manually operable member 174. The
rectangular cross section of the member 174, as shown in FIG. 8, is
disposed in the generally circular opening 170 in the side wall 178
of the cover 110. Thus spaces 180 disposed radially outward from
the rectangular in cross section portion 174 provide for the relief
of pneumatic fluid such as steam or beverage carbonation from the
interior of the receptacle on which the cover 110 is mounted and in
accordance with the description of operation of the structure shown
in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the manual knob 174 may first be pressed
inwardly relieving the gasket 168 from its seat around the inner
side of the cover and the opening 170 so as to first release
pneumatic fluid under pressure before the end portions 164 and 166
of the plunger and the movable member 126 respectively are engaged
for subsequently forcing the poppet valve 124 off its seat and into
a broken line position A as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings,
whereby liquid may subsequently be poured through the opening 112
and be drunk by a person over the drinking edge 116. It will be
understood that, as hereinbefore described, while the drinking
opening 112 is disposed downwardly, the relief valve 168 is in an
upward position above the liquid in the container or receptacle to
thereby allow the pneumatic fluid under pressure to escape through
the opening 170 so that no hot coffee or other similar beverages
may be forced or gushed into the drinker's mouth.
In connection with the cover 110, an integral bayonet lock skirt
182 is provided with inwardly directed arcuate section 184, all as
shown in FIGS. 5 and 9 of the drawings. These segments interlock
with bayonet locking segments 186, all as shown in FIGS. 5 and 9 of
the drawings, and these segments are rotated into position on a
slight incline to force an annular skirt 188 of the cover into firm
engagement with an annular O-ring 190 which provides a gasket
between the cover and a femoral walled receptacle 192.
It will, therefore be understood that the spring 54 is primarily
responsible for closing the pressure relief valve 78.
It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various
modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit
of the invention.
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